MY SISTER’S GRAVE
Robert Dugoni

Tracy Crosswhite has spent twenty years questioning the facts surrounding her sister Sarah’s disappearance and the murder trial that followed. She doesn’t believe that Edmund House — a convicted rapist and the man condemned for Sarah’s murder — is the guilty party. Motivated by the opportunity to obtain real justice, Tracy became a homicide detective with the Seattle PD and dedicated her life to tracking down killers.

When Sarah’s remains are finally discovered near their hometown in the northern Cascade mountains of Washington State, Tracy is determined to get the answers she’s been seeking. As she searches for the real killer, she unearths dark, long-kept secrets that will forever change her relationship to her past — and open the door to deadly danger.

Sometimes our questions are better left unanswered.

My Sister’s Grave is an engrossing mystery novel told from multiple POVs. The story is engaging and keeps readers guessing, revealing little clues about the mystery along the way. It has great character development and a tense atmosphere, although the shifts from past to present do disrupt the flow of the story sometimes.

Robert Dugoni knows how to develop the plot and its twists and turns rather well. This novel captures the reader’s attention right from the beginning, and things only get better and better as the story progresses. The writing is easy to follow, and the pace holds steady for the most part, making this an enjoyable read.

One thing I really liked about this was the personal aspect of the story; how the main mystery ties directly with the main character. Tracy is a cop, and she’s spent the last twenty years wondering what happened to her sister, Sarah. She never believed the police arrested the right guy, but she also never had the means of proving she was right. Until they find her sister’s body.

Tracy is a great main character. Her unique voice and narrative perspective give real depth to the story. As a reader, I could feel her despair and sadness along the way, as she tried to find out what really happened to Sarah. It was heartbreaking at times, but really one of the highlights in the novel.

The side characters are also a bonus. Since the story is told from multiple POVs, we also get a little insight into the other characters’ minds. It enriches the story and gives readers a clearer view of what is happening and how everything comes together.

I did have a problem with the shifts between present time (with Tracy as a cop finally getting the chance to solve her sister’s murder) and the past (flashbacks to the night Sarah goes missing and glimpses about what happens later). They feel kind of abrupt, especially at the beginning, and disrupt the flow of the story.

In the end, My Sister’s Grave is a really nice read. I definitely recommend it to all Crime/Mystery fans, as the story is engrossing and keeps you guessing. I’m definitely going to continue on with the series, and I’m going to keep an eye out for more Dugoni books.